The London Stock Exchange will observe a minutes silence this week in commemoration of the share prices which fell during the First World War 100 years ago.

'We will take time this week to remember the value of the shares that were lost so that today's markets could flourish' says Exchange Chief Executive Xavier Rolex. 'When war broke out the stock exchange was closed from late July 1914 until the New Year, everyone thought that it was just a bit of a jolly and that share prices would be back to pre-war levels by Christmas but it wasn't to be'.

The Exchange will also remember those who left to fight in the war and never came back 'they sacrificed their lives for our futures' says Rolex, 'not to mention our derivatives'.

For trader Mark Evans the anniversary is particularly poignant 'my great-grandfather paid the ultimate price in The Great War, he let sentiment cloud his judgement and kept buying additional shares in a losing stock, he never recovered and had to retire to his mansion in Surrey, he was only 27. We don't know how lucky we are, we really don't'.